News

A Poetic Yesterday, or APY for all the kids in the know, have written us a song specifically to be included in the film. It's in one of the most important scenes in the film and is pretty much perfect. For a sneaky weaky peaky check out this video where they give a great shout out to the film. Also check out their myspace at www.myspace.com/apyarmy and join the cause! Oh they've cleverly named the track Ex Cathedra which I think is a stroke of genius to be fair, not only because it's extra publicity for the film but because... well yeah what I just said. PLUG PLUG PLUG!!www.youtube.com/group/filmcredit

Ok so tonight I came up with a crazy-ass idea for the promotion of the film!Win a credit!!CLICK HERE!!

Great right?!? All you have to do is create a Youtube video of yourself, your friends, your action men figures, your dog... anything! and promote the film! Put it on Youtube, call it "EX CATHEDRA CREDIT COMP: [YOUR OWN TITLE HERE]" and wait!

If you can get over 10,000 views for your video then you instantly get a credit in the film.All other filmmakers will enter into a competition and a panel here at Petela Wright will judge the best videos. The makers of the winners will be given a credit in the film and placed on the official website when it is relaunched later this year.

Also, there's a chance, if we can agree with distributors, that these videos might end up on the DVD!!

Start your video blogging now people!!

oooh!! Also, I added this blog to the official webpage so you can just go to www.excathedramovie.co.uk instead of this address if you so wish!

Ex Cathedra makes trailer debut on imdb. hereIf you've already seen the trailer then it's not that exciting... plus it's not as high quality as the youtube version... BUT! Anyone who goes to the IMDB page will get a sexy little link on the main title page to the trailer from now on which is nice... plus there's only a few hundred trailers even on IMDB at the moment so it's a pretty exclusive club we're in!

So we're at that late stage in post-production where all the little things are finally coming together. Last weekend 3 of the prophetic musketeers were reunited for the first time in a year and a half to rerecord the opening narration of the film along with a few choice pieces of ADR dialogue.

Senor Sound Mike and Rich were collected from various locations around the outskirts of Manchester in various states of being and brought to a hidden location near the centre of the earth for the most secretive of sound recordings.

Below we have some surveillance footage from the bunker where Rich was kept hostage for over 10 hours recording the same lines of dialogue again and again until the damn little monkey got it right!

As scared and innocent as he may look, this prophet is one wily cat! We tried all sorts of torture methods but he just wouldn't give in. At one point he even tried to hit us back. Below is a photo depicting Rich attempting to take poor Sound Mike's life with what we can only assume is a boat motor. Where he ripped this motor from we do not know. We were hundreds of miles underground and days from the closest sea or lake. I imagine he ripped it from a passing vessel on our trip to the secret underground bunker and kept it hidden under his shirt for days. He is a master of disguise it seems.

Had it not been for the pocket can of tear gas the massacre Rich could have swept across the nation could have been catastrophic! However, after he calmed down, we managed to finally get his to do some work. The following video illustrates the tough, regimented, strict atmosphere in which we were working.

We eventually let Rich out of the bunker after Stockholm Syndrome really kicked in and we no longer feared for our lives. We ventured into the light and set about recording the few bits of ADR that were required. Namely, Rich having a fit of the floor and him shouting FUCK at the top of his lungs. A civilised ADR session began as I'm sure you can imagine.

Rich getting into character to record ADR sound for his vision sequences

Rich and Mike setting up for the recording.Still animostiy between them following the bunker escapades.

All is forgiven!

All that is left is for us to show you some insider footage of the dialogue from Ex Cathedra. Below is a video with exclusive content including actual dialogue from the film. These were the lines we required Rich to rerecord. After months of filmming and pages of dialogue to memorise it is always understandble that some bit will need recording again. Rich had a lot of difficult dialogue and monologues. Here is the ADR session.

Ok so it's been over a year since the blog on the Official Ex Cathedra website has been updated and lots of people have been wondering what on earth has been going on with the film. Well I am finally going to come out of my Hermit's cave and speak on behalf of the film... regularly!I hope you all saw the link to the latest trailer we have online here over at Youtube, if not here it is again:

The delay in you all seeing the film is due to the fact that we're an independent film company funding all of this on our own backs. Filmmaking is a very expensive industry and without sounding like the same broken record the whole world is listening to right now, the credit crunch is hitting us too.

GOOD NEWS!!The film is days away from being finished now. We are just touching up a few bits of the sound design, colour grading and re-recording Rich having a fit (video available soon: watch this space) much to our amusement. Once those things have be galvanised with the glorious HD video we will be ready to screen this damn thing! I'm going slightly crazier every day I think. I've now reached the point where I thought it best I start a blog about the whole thing as opposed to talking to myself in the studio day in day out. I'm talking to the computer monitor asking Paul if he wants to come 'walk the dog' but he keeps turning me down.Anyway... yes there will be a screening this decade and thank you to everyone who has shown interest in attending. If anyone missed the Facebook invite email me at here to apply for tickets for the screening. There will also be a WORLD PREMIERE TRADE SCREENING in London next month where we get all the bigwigs together and flatter them, tell them how good their toupes look and pray they want to hand over some cash for the film.I may upload a few screen grabs of the film showing the grading process if Vicky allows me and once Senor Team Mike has come by to give his approval on the sexy new colour scheme I have devised. You're good with a fuscia tint on the whole movie right TM?Anyway, YES there will be a screening soon. And YES, we will make sure everyone who has shown an interest in the film is aware of the time and date. ALSO! If anyone has any big-shot-industry-family-friends they'd like to invite to either a Manchester or London screening please get in touch. The more publicity we can get for this film the better.Liamp.s. Check out some awesome acoustic indie here: John Ainsworth

Here I will be keeping the world updated with the ongoings of Ex Cathedra and Petela Wright Films. To start I've copied the text from the Official Ex Cathedra Website below.

Ex Cathedra was shot on location in the North of England with York as the main base of production. Principal photography was completed on August 24th 2007 and the film is expected to reach Film Festivals this year.

When taking on the project, PetelaWright Ltd, formerlyFirefly Independent Films Ltd., set about to create an exciting new venture that would successfully showcase the astounding array of talent in the North of England. What emerged was Project Ex Cathedra: a dark feature film drawing on inspirations from Pulp fiction to Donnie Darko, with an international cast and crew and an unprecedented level of dedication and talent from a first time outfit. The film’s producer, Vicky Petela, is only 21, whilst her writer and director, Liam Andrew Wright is just 22. Yet, in their short career they have worked on over 50 Short Films/Music Videos and 2 Feature Films, many of which as team with PetelaWright. Rarely do producer and director collaborate as closely or well as in PetelaWright and the riches are available for all to see.

Ex Cathedra is the original tale of three lost souls, Alexis, Kevin and Corban; three characters existing in a world governed by ‘Exente’- a powerful yet socially acceptable drug- all fighting for emancipation. Kevin’s mundane world is falling apart and is lured into the double-dealing underground world of the Exente trade where his life takes a turn down a new path, destined to change him forever. Alexis, however, has succumbed to the all-consuming world of Exente. She meets Kevin as he continues on his journey far from his comfort zone. Could Kevin be the only chance Alexis has to escape this bleak existence? Corban owns the local pub and learns more about each individual who passes through then they realise. His tactless demeanour shouldn’t earn him any friends; however he finds himself strangely respected by those around him for his oddly acute knowledge of the world. What happens when these worlds collide has consequences both perilous and liberating. Powerless to stop it, these three characters can only struggle through in hope of salvation and eventual redemption. The film is told in two parts with the true power and mystery of Corban’s existence not revealed until the second half of the film. The twists and turns of Ex Cathedra should leave you weathered from the emotional storm it imposes upon its heroes.

The project started whilst its creators Liam Andrew Wright and Dan Castles were still at university. An idea was formed out of stubbornness and determination and Ex Cathedra was born. During his third year of an English and Philosophy degree Liam sought a way to create a project beyond the scope of anything his peers had imagined. He brought in Vicky Petela as Producer along with a supporting co-production team of Katy Roberts, Corrine Millson-Crane and Dan Castles. He also enlisted the services of Mike Ritchie, a talented and acclaimed Cinematographer/Director, as his Director of Photography. From there the team went about casting, recruiting crew, location scouting and fund raising, all whilst Liam was also drafting the most ambitious script of his life.

With finance secured and a professional crew ready and willing to work for free for two months on the strengths of the script alone, Firefly made the final decisions on casting the lead roles. Playing Corban is newcomer Richard John Rooney Massara. Having worked with Rich briefly on another independent film, Human Residue, Liam saw the potential in him to bring his eccentric anti-hero protagonist to life. Alongside him is Rebecca Herod (Hellbride, Underground) as Alexis, the beautiful but broken girl-next-door. Our last lead role is taken by Garth Maunders, ex-professional go-Karter, now a trained, professional actor who puts his all into everything that he does and this is reflected in his emotional performance here. In supporting roles are Issac Harper, new graduate of CSSD whose physical presence is assured as Duke, the drug dealer; Paul Bamgbose, a Nigerian actor whose passion for the project borders on religious as Duke’s partner, Gemini; and introducing Glen Cardno, industry pro and legend in the field of producing and editing, Glen makes his first foray into the acting circle with a memorable performance as Dr. John Mackenzie.

Ex Cathedra was shot in High Definition on the JVCpro series of cameras using an SGpro 35mm adapter to create the sharp, visuals that define the film and put it on par with the most expensive professional projects. Alongside the superior image quality of Ex Cathedra, the quality of performance from all of the actors involved must be noted. For a feature where each contributor was nothing more than an expenses paid volunteer, the standard of acting is unparalleled. The only motivation for all involved was to make something of which the British Independent Film community could be proud.